For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)
The exercise instructor on the video frequently gets us into a pattern with our feet, whether marching in place or step-together or grapevine. Once we’ve done it a couple times, she says, “Now, add the arms” and tells us what to do with our arms. Of course, adding the arms sometimes throws off the feet.
I remember reading about one of the Founding Fathers. He determined to become virtuous and chose one on which to work. When he was satisfied with that one, he moved on to the next. Before he accomplished the second, he realized that the first had slipped. Before he managed the third, the second faltered.
I know the feeling. When I focused a lot of time and energy on losing weight and getting fit, I did well. Not long after I stopped focusing on it, I started regaining weight.
This is how I feel about today’s passage. Get your feet going with faith, then add goodness with your hands. As soon as you get the goodness into a routine, start tipping your head from side to side with knowledge. Then, start singing along with the video…. It’s impossible!
Then I think about another example. When I first started driving, I found it hard to do coordinate feet, hands, eyes, mind, etc. Now, I get irritated with the truck, or the road when my driving isn’t as flawless as I’d like.
Another illustration of all of these things we’re supposed to add goes back to the first: dancing. I remember when my parents were involved in square dancing. There were times when they would weave in and out, changing partners as they traveled around the square and ending up back together. Sometimes, we need to change our foci quickly from one thing to the next.
Our internal lives, and their resulting behaviors – a dance? It’s a good analogy, and we need to be aware of when we are supposed to change partners as God calls it.
I remember reading about one of the Founding Fathers. He determined to become virtuous and chose one on which to work. When he was satisfied with that one, he moved on to the next. Before he accomplished the second, he realized that the first had slipped. Before he managed the third, the second faltered.
I know the feeling. When I focused a lot of time and energy on losing weight and getting fit, I did well. Not long after I stopped focusing on it, I started regaining weight.
This is how I feel about today’s passage. Get your feet going with faith, then add goodness with your hands. As soon as you get the goodness into a routine, start tipping your head from side to side with knowledge. Then, start singing along with the video…. It’s impossible!
Then I think about another example. When I first started driving, I found it hard to do coordinate feet, hands, eyes, mind, etc. Now, I get irritated with the truck, or the road when my driving isn’t as flawless as I’d like.
Another illustration of all of these things we’re supposed to add goes back to the first: dancing. I remember when my parents were involved in square dancing. There were times when they would weave in and out, changing partners as they traveled around the square and ending up back together. Sometimes, we need to change our foci quickly from one thing to the next.
Our internal lives, and their resulting behaviors – a dance? It’s a good analogy, and we need to be aware of when we are supposed to change partners as God calls it.
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